


Promises, Promises

by NeverAndAlways



Series: In a Little While [4]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Domestic, Childbirth, Cute Kids, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Established Gabriel/Sam Winchester, Gen, Human Castiel, Human Gabriel, M/M, Mpreg, Not Beta Read, Parents Castiel & Dean Winchester, Post Mpreg, Pregnancy, semi-graphic birth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-03
Updated: 2016-09-16
Packaged: 2018-07-29 01:57:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7665874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeverAndAlways/pseuds/NeverAndAlways
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The last fic in this series.</p><p>("I mean it this time", says the author with confidence)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. July

**Author's Note:**

> I told myself I wasn't gonna do this, and yet...here we are. Hope you enjoy.

It's the Fourth of July at Bobby and Ellen's house, and the party is in full swing.

In the driveway, Matt is lighting fireworks with Charlie and his dads. The rest of the family is in the backyard, just hanging out and chatting. The party's already dying down; it's not as busy as most of their gatherings. Chuck isn't there, nor is Benny or Ash. There's only one newcomer to the group, by the name of Pamela. She's an old friend of Bobby's. And at the moment she's standing on the back porch, with a beer in her hand and her cane tucked under her arm.

The screen door opens, and out come Sam and Grace. Sam lifts his niece onto his shoulders.

"Hey Pam." he nods to her.

"'Hey' yourself, Grumpy." she smirks.

"Have Dean and Cas been by here?"

Pam angles her head to listen. "As far as I know, they're still out in front. Why?"

"Would you mind getting them? I'm still trying to find Gabe."

"Yeah, sure."

"Thanks."

Pam steps down from the porch. Then she takes out her cane and starts to walk, tap-tapping her way across the yard and around the house.

-

"Alright, you do the honors on this one."

Matt gingerly takes the lighter from Charlie. He's nine years old now, he can do this...he advances on the firework as though facing down a mortal enemy, while his dads watch from the sidelines. A few false starts with the lighter, and then-

"Good job, buddy, now stand back."

He scampers back out of the way just as the sparks begin to fly, and then the whole thing goes up in flames. Matt watches, starry-eyed, as bursts of gold and blue and green fill the air and rain down on the concrete. It's over almost as soon as it begins, but he doesn't really mind; he turns to his dads with a grin.

"That was AWESOME!"

The sound of footsteps interrupts them. Matt turns to see Pamela coming around the side of the house, feeling her way along with her cane.

"Hi, Ms. Barnes." he says shyly.

"Hey kiddo." she walks a few steps farther. "Dean, Cas? You there?"

"Right here, ma'am. You need something?" Dean steps forward. Pam jerks her head back the way she came from.

"Your brother's looking for you and your husband. You too, Ms. Bradbury. And Matt." she adds, turning toward them.

"Alright, thanks." Dean drops the burned-out firework in a bucket of water, then the four of them follow Pam around to the back.

Sam has found Gabriel by that point. They're standing on the porch where Pam had been. When Dean and Cas stroll into the yard, Sam lifts Grace down from his shoulders and gives her a nudge toward them. Then Gabriel speaks up.

"Alright, the gang's all here." he waves his arms over his head. "Hey, folks! Before you all take off, me an' Sasquatch have an announcement." once everyone's gathered, he links arms with Sam and looks around. "Okay, so. You all probably know by now that me an' Sam are a thing. But that's not what I wanted to tell you. The announcement is..." Gabriel pauses. He is nothing if not dramatic. "we're pregnant!"

"What, both of you?" Dean can never resist a good snark.

"No, smartass. Just me." Gabe snarks right back. He smiles. "Like it or not, Dean-o, by Valentine's Day, you and Cassie are gonna be uncles."

Castiel grins and moves in for a hug. Amid Gabriel's loud protestations, Dean steals a glance at his own brother. Sam meets his gaze. There's a reason parents-to-be are called 'glowing': Sam's grinning so big, his face practically shines. And Dean smiles right back, with a sudden swell of pride. His little brother's all grown up.

°°°


	2. August

The first thing Sam's aware of is hair - a whole face full of it. He's spooned up against Gabriel, whose head is mashed into his face. He pulls away, sputtering; Gabriel stirs.

"Mmh. Morning, Sammy-boy." his voice is soft and rusty with sleep.

"Morning." Sam pushes aside a tangle of hair to plant a kiss behind his boyfriend's ear. "How you feeling?"

"Pretty good." Gabriel yawns. "I'd be even better if you did that again."

With a smirk, Sam obliges. His hand wanders down over warm, sleep-soft skin to the slight swell of Gabriel's belly and rests there. They both go quiet. For a moment he thinks Gabe's dozed off, until he turns himself over so they're face-to-face and snags a kiss of his own.

Not a bad way to wake up.

"Had the weirdest fucking dream last night..." Gabriel sighs, and snags another kiss.

"Mm. Do tell."

"Well, Luci was there. That was weird all by itself. I haven't even seen him in like, ten years. And...he was Luci, but he was Dad at the same time? And I was trying to tell him I was pregnant, but he just kept asking me about the store and he wouldn't shut up...so at least that part was accurate, I guess." he makes a face. "I dunno. Cassie said weird dreams are part of the whole pregnancy thing; sounds like he was right."

"Sounds like it."

"Anyway..." he smirks and leans in for another kiss. "I like where _this_ conversation is going."

Sam smiles into the kiss. "You would."

"Mm-hm. As a matter of fact-" Gabriel hoists himself up on his elbow, then in one smooth move swings himself up and over to straddle Sam's hips. The smile darkens. Sam pulls Gabriel down into a kiss that's deep, but slow and drowsy. They're in no rush. Time passes; they get lost in the back-and-forth of it. It's nice. Lazy. Then Gabriel rolls his hips experimentally against Sam's.

Sam huffs a laugh into the crook of Gabe's neck. "Good morning to you, too."

"Hey, blame the hormones." says Gabriel, a little breathless. "'S not my fault I'm horny as a goddamn teenager."

"I'm not complaining." Sam rocks up into Gabriel as though proving his point. "Nice way to start a Wednesday morning."

Gabriel goes very still. Then, in a small voice: "... Did you say Wednesday?"

"Yeah. What's-"

"Fuck." suddenly Gabriel climbs off of Sam and out of bed.

"Gabe, what's wrong?"

Gabriel yanks off his pajama shorts and replaces them with sweatpants. "I gotta get down to the store. Got a custom order to finish." he pulls on a shirt. "'M sorry. I'll be back soon." then, pausing only to give Sam a quick peck on the forehead, he hurries away.

"Gabe, wait-"

"Love you, bye!"

Then the door slams, and Sam is left sitting in a cold bed in an empty apartment.

Not how he wanted to start his day.

-

The shop door jingles brightly. Sam looks around, takes a deep breath. Smells like flour; must be a baking day. He walks up to the counter.

"Hello..?"

"Be right with you!" a voice calls from somewhere in the back. He hears a mixer turn on, then footsteps, and then the owner of the voice appears: a young woman, pulling her long black hair into a loose bun. She dusts some flour off her hands. "Hi, Sam. What can I do for ya?"

"Just came to see Gabriel. Is he here?"

"Yeah, he's in his cave." she beckons. Sam scoots around behind the counter and follows her.

He and Gabe have been dating for upwards of six years now. He's been in this store many, many times, even helped Gabriel with some of his projects. And yet he can count on one hand the number of times he's actually seen this part of the store. The 'cave' is a spare workroom that Gabe claimed for himself; it's his haven. This is where he tries out new recipes and designs, works on custom orders, or just tinkers around. Even Sam isn't always allowed inside.

The young woman knocks on the cave door. "Gabriel?"

"Yeah?" his voice is slightly muffled.

"You have a visitor."

"Who is it?"

"It's me." Sam calls.

A pause, filled with faint music and busy tinkering noises. "...Alright, come on in."

Sam flashes the young woman a smile. "Thanks, May."

She smiles back and bustles away to the main workroom. And Sam walks into the cave.

The counters are littered with utensils, bowls, baking supplies of every description. A pan of white chocolate bubbles on the stove. Sam's old clock/radio sits on the counter, piping jazz into the room.  And in the middle of it all, perched on a turntable, is a cake. And a really spectacular one at that. Three tiers, each covered in smooth, sky-blue fondant fading to white. A delicate floral pattern in black icing encircles the first tier and climbs up to the second, and Gabriel is hard at work applying it to the third. He glances up.

"Hi." says Sam.

"Hey handsome." Gabriel smirks. "You mad about this morning?"

"Nah." Sam says quickly, then hesitates. "...a little." he chuckles. Gabriel just laughs. "Actually, I just came to see how you're doing."

"Mm. Doin' okay; gotta get this monster finished by 3:00." says Gabriel, putting the finishing touches on a curlicue.

"It looks great." Sam circles the table, looking at the cake from all angles. "Wedding cake?"

"Yup. The bride wants feathers around the first tier, and I'm gonna put a pair of wings on the top. I even got some gold leaf to add to it."

"Fancy."

"Yeah, no kidding."

"Anything I can do?"

"Yeah, actually, could you give the chocolate a stir for me?"

Sam heads over to the stove. As he stirs, he peers at the thermometer that's stuck in the bowl. "You're at 105."

Gabriel swears and runs to the stove. He grabs the pan off the burner, stirring furiously. "Been trying to get this in temper all morning." he grumbles. "Hand me that bag, would you?"

A bag of white chocolate chips changes hands. Gabriel pours some of it into the pan and continues to stir. In the background, 'Begin the Beguine' comes on the radio.

"So." says Sam.

"Hm?"

"I have the day off. And I was thinking, once you're done here, maybe we could get some takeout and finish that movie I was gonna show you..."

"Netflix and chill, huh?" Gabriel chuckles.

"Something like that."

"You smooth talker." he quirks an eyebrow. "You just want sex to make up for this morning."

And there's the bitchface. "Actually, I just want to spend some time with my boyfriend."

"Hey, I wasn't complaining." he checks the thermometer. "But I got a couple other things to do once I finish this." he glances up at Sam, and his face softens. "I'll try, okay?"

"Okay." Sam wanders toward the door. "Take it easy, though. Make sure you actually eat something, I know you didn't have breakfast."

"I'll be fine."

"Gabriel..."

"Babe. You're fretting."

Sam falls silent. He's not sure whether to be annoyed, or embarrassed.

"I'll see you this afternoon, okay?"

"Sure."

The last notes of 'Begin the Beguine' follow him out of the store.

-

Sam keeps himself busy the rest of the day. He putters around the apartment, spends time with Dean and Cas and the kids, runs some errands. By the time evening rolls around, he's curled up in the living room, channel-surfing from the couch.

The front door closes; he looks up.

"Gabe?"

"Hey Sam-I-am." Gabriel walks into the room with one hand on his belly. He yawns massively.

"Did you get the cake done?"

"Yeah. Chocolate finally stayed in temper." he stops and starts into space for a moment. "God, I'm tired. 'M goin' to bed."

Sam looks at the clock. It's barely 9:00. "...Okay." he pauses. "Oh, hey - I made some rice. If you're hungry."

"Already ate. Thanks, though." Gabriel pads down the hallway to their room. Halfway there, he turns and pads back. "Hey, uh...sorry about the movie thing. Some other time?"

"Sure. Don't worry about it." Sam gives him a thin smile. "G'night."

"'Night."

Gabriel disappears again. After a minute's thought, Sam switches off the TV and slowly follows.

°°° 


	3. September

Gabriel steps into the elevator with his nieces and nephew. Each kid sports a backpack, and Gabriel sports a belly that's already becoming more noticeable. As the elevator lurches upward, he turns to his nieces.

"So, how was the first week of school?"

The girls grin.

"It was great!" says Grace. "We played a lot of games an'-"

"-did math, and the teacher said I was the best at spelling!" Ava picks up the sentence almost in mid-word. They are such twins.

"Hey, awesome!" Gabriel grins. Then he turns his attention to Matt. "What about you, quiet one? What do you think of third grade?"

The elevator slows and stops, and the doors open. Matt shrugs as he steps out into the hall. "It's okay."

"Just 'okay'? Not even awesome?"

The boy shrugs again. "I guess...the class is kinda big, and Miss Hines isn't my teacher anymore. And Natasha and Ben aren't in the class either."

"Hm." Gabriel looks down at his nephew. "That does sound pretty rough...but you know what, I bet you're gonna be just fine. Just give it some time." Matt doesn't respond. He puts a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Y'know," he says conspiratorially, "when I was in third grade, my family had just moved to a whole new state. The only people I knew at school were my two brothers, and they were both in different grades. And my little sister was in preschool."

This gets Matt's attention. "I thought Dad was your only brother?"

"Nope. I have four brothers, including your dad." Gabriel says as he unlocks the apartment door.

"So...I have four uncles and an aunt?" Matt sounds astonished by the idea.

Gabriel hesitates. "Well, you're almost right. But my sister, um..." he stops to kick off his shoes. "She died, Matt. A few years before you came along."

"...Oh."

"But-" Gabriel snaps right back to his cheerful self. "You do have lots of uncles."

"Are they our uncles too?" the girls chime in.

"They are indeed."

"What are their names?" Grace, always the inquisitive one, fixes him with a stern look.

"My older brother is called Michael." Gabriel counts off on his fingers as he speaks. "Then after me there's Balthazar, my sister Anna, then Luci, and then your dad."

"Cool." Matt smiles. Finally, something to be enthused about.

"Can we meet them?" asks Ava.

"Uh. Well..." suddenly he regrets bringing this up. How do you tell a kid that you and your siblings haven't seen or spoken to each other for almost a decade? "Maybe." he wanders into the kitchen and quickly changes the subject. "Hey, who's hungry?" he calls. It works; all three kids storm in after him, and their questions are quickly forgotten.

-

"Ow, Ava, get off - Uncle Gabe!!"

Gabriel hurries down the hall. The kids have been quiet up to now, what in the world-?

He walks into the living room to see Matt sitting in the middle of the floor, holding a toy dinosaur at arm's length. One of the twins is on the couch with a coloring book, watching dispassionately, while the other is practically climbing on their brother to get to the dinosaur. Matt gives his uncle a pleading look.

"Alright ladies and germs, break it up." Gabriel strides in, grabs Ava under her arms, and hoists her off of Matt. Then he plunks her down a few feet away and plants himself between them. "Now. What's goin' on here?"

"It's **my** dinosaur, but Matt won't let me-"

"No, this one's _mine_ , Ava-"

"Well you started it!"

"No I didn't-"

"Whoa, whoa, hold up. I don't care who started it, I just wanna know what happened."

The pair look sullenly at each other. But before either one can answer, they're interrupted by the sound of the front door.

"Anybody home?" calls a familiar voice. The kids perk up at the sound.

"Hi dad!"

Castiel ambles into the room, closely followed by Sam. The twins run to him. He scoops up one of them and folds the other into a one-armed hug. "Hi, girls." then, to his son: "Hello, Matteo." Matt waves. Cas turns his smile on his brother. "Thank you for picking them up, Gabriel."

"No prob." Gabriel flashes a smile of his own, but it's mostly directed at Sam. Cas and the girls walk past him, and Sam follows, with a grocery bag in each hand. Gabriel loops an arm around his waist. "Hey Sasquatch." he purrs, and leans in for a kiss - and to his surprise, Sam doesn't respond. Just a quick "Hey", then he slips out of Gabriel's grasp and keeps walking. It gives Gabriel pause for a few seconds. He stares after his retreating boyfriend. "What, no kiss?"

"Hold your horses, I'll be back." Sam calls back.

Confused, and feeling like he ought to be a little offended, Gabriel wanders off to help Matteo pack up his things.

-

A little while later, Cas and the kids have gone back to their own apartment, leaving Sam and Gabriel alone.

Gabriel wanders into the bedroom; there's Sam, stretched out on the bed as though he's never been more comfortable, clad in shorts and a T-shirt and scrolling idly through his phone. Gabriel climbs up on the bed and flops down beside him.

"Hi." he smiles lopsidedly.

Sam gives him a half smile in return. "Hi Gabe."

Gabriel takes that as his okay. He scoots in closer, throws an arm across him, and nestles his head into the crook of Sam's neck. Right where he fits in perfectly.

"...You okay, Sammy?"

Sam puts his phone down and looks down at his boyfriend. At that angle, it takes a fair amount of neck-craning. "Yeah, why?"

"You're acting kinda...weird. I dunno." Gabriel snuggles in closer.

"Weird how?"

"I dunno. Maybe I've got pregnancy brain already."

Sam laughs, low and dark, and cards a hand through Gabriel's hair. "..I'm fine, babe. Just tired."

Then why did you hesitate? Gabriel sighs. "As long as it's not me you're tired of." he says, trying to sound casual.

"You? Never."

Gabriel yawns enormously. His hand strays down to his belly; the baby's kicking like it thinks it's going to get somewhere. He huffs out a laugh, or an approximation of one.

Sam looks down again. "What?"

"He's doin' somersaults." Sam's hand joins Gabriel's, and Gabriel feels him smile. He also feels him tense up. "It's a nightly thing now. 'S like he has to get all the crazy out before we go to bed."

"Guess we're having a gymnast." Sam moves his hand away.

"I guess we are."

Suddenly Sam plants a kiss to Gabriel's hair, then untangles himself and climbs off the bed. Gabriel props himself up on one elbow.

"Where you goin'?"

"Just gonna make some tea. You want anything?"

"...Nah, I'm good. Thanks."

Once his boyfriend is out of sight, Gabriel climbs out of bed as well and slowly changes into his pajamas. Then he climbs back into bed, and is asleep before Sam returns.

°°°


	4. October

Closing time at Garden of Eden: the shutters go down. The lights go off. The OPEN sign is turned around to CLOSED. Then the door jingles and two figures emerge, zipping up their coats to keep out the chilly air. It's 7:00, but it feels much later; dusk comes on quickly this time of year.

Gabriel pauses. "Hey Cassie, you still got some flour on your face." his points to his own, to illustrate.

Castiel brushes a hand over his face. "There?"

"No, like...all over."

Now Castiel growls in irritation and scrubs his face with his sleeve. Gabriel watches, and laughs.

"Man, she got you good!"

"That machine has it out for me, Gabriel."

His brother locks the door, rattles it once, and slips the keys back in his pocket. "What, Elsie? Nah, it's nothing personal. Every intern or new hire to come through this place has had some kinda run-in with her."

"Perhaps you should get a new mixer, then."

"Never. She's practically a rite of passage." he punches Cas playfully on the arm. "You're really part of the crew now." Cas gives a rather dismissive snort, but says nothing more. They start to walk, hunching their shoulders against the breeze.

Suddenly Gabriel jumps as though shocked. "Woah, hey-" his hands fly to his midsection, where - just in the last couple weeks - his belly has started to pull his jacket tight. "Hi there."

Cas raises an eyebrow. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah...'s just baby moose testing his legs. Or fists, or whatever." he massages the lowest curve of his belly. "He's discovered that he really likes keeping me up at night."

"Hm. I found a solution for that when I was pregnant with the twins." Cas muses.

"And what might that be?"

"Coffee."

Gabriel frowns. "But...you're not supposed to have caffeine when-"

"It's acceptable in small amounts. I found that if I drank coffee in the morning or early afternoon, it would keep the babies - and myself - awake for the rest of the day, and then allow us to sleep through the night."

Gabe smirks. His baby brother, giving him pregnancy advice. God, but that feels weird. "And that actually worked?"

"It did. I wish I had known about it when I was having Matteo; it would have saved me many sleepless nights."

"Well, Cassie, you're a lifesaver." Cas quirks a lopsided smile. "Seriously, I could kiss you right now."

The smile vanishes. "Please don't."

Gabriel cackles, and then the breeze swallows up any further words. It ushers them along for a block or two, twirling dead leaves in its wake, before he speaks again.

"Can I ask you something, Cas?"

This gets his brother's attention. Gabriel has called him almost exclusively by his nickname since he was little. "Of course." he says, a little tentative.

It takes Gabriel a moment to find the words. "When you were pregnant with the girls, was Dean ever...did he act weird?"

"I don't understand. What do you mean by 'weird'?"

"I dunno, like...he wasn't as happy about it as he said. Making excuses, or...whatever." he shrugs. "Never mind."

Cas stops in his tracks, forcing Gabriel to turn and look at him. "Gabriel." he says solemnly. "Is there something wrong between you and Sam?"

"Did I say that? I don't think I said that." his voice is cheerful, but brittle.

"Answer the question."

"You first."

Cas thinks for a moment. Then he moves toward his brother and they begin to walk again, slower this time. "My pregnancy with the twins was not exactly a normal one. You know that."

"Well yeah, but..." Gabriel shrugs again.

"It did affect him, if that's what you're asking. It was his first time as a father; he was overwhelmed. That may be what Sam is experiencing."

"Maybe. I dunno." the brothers round a corner, approaching the apartment building. The trees around it are nearly bare, and they scratch at its walls like long, arthritic hands.

"If you're concerned, Gabriel, perhaps you should talk to Sam. You won't know what's going on unless you ask him."

Another shrug. He's drawing inside himself. Cas takes the hint, and changes the subject. "Speaking of family..." he begins, and waits until he has Gabriel's attention again. "Guess who I heard from today."

"Hm." he seems at least mildly curious, so Cas presses on.

"Father's younger sister."

"...Amara?"

"Mm-hmm."

Now Gabriel fully turns to look at him. His expression is an odd mix of interest and deep disdain. "Really. Our dear old auntie finally decided to come out of the woodwork again." he whistles. "What did she say? Or do I want to know?"

Cas pauses at the door to page Dean, who buzzes them in. Then he continues with a wry smile as they step through the doors. "She was civil."

"That's impressive."

"She asked after you and the siblings. How we were doing, et cetera."

"And you actually told her??"

"Only the basics. She seemed pleased."

Gabriel scoffs loudly, surprising an elderly man stepping out of the elevator. They dart in before the doors close. "So basically, like nothing ever happened."

"More or less."

"Jeez. How'd she get your number, anyway?"

"I have no idea."

The elevator beeps; almost at their floor. "I wonder if anyone else in the pack has kids." Gabriel muses, more to himself than anyone else. One hand rests on his belly.

"The pack?" Cas laughs. "You haven't called us that since I was eight."

"Well, that's what you were!"

Cas grins. Moments like this are rare between them. "I imagine Balthazar has many. Whether he knows of their existence is a different matter."

Now it's Gabriel's turn to laugh. The elevator doors slide open, and they step out into the hallway. The laughter fades into giggles, then silence. As they near their respective apartments, Cas stops his brother with a hand on his shoulder. Suddenly serious, he lowers his voice. "If you ever need to get away, our couch is always open. Matteo and the girls would love to see you."

Gabriel gives him a rather thin smile. "I'll think about it."

Cas nods and releases his hold. "Goodnight, Gabriel."

"'Night, Cassie."

-

The apartment smells enticingly of dinner when Gabe opens the door. There are busy cooking noises drifting out from the kitchen. Without saying a word, Gabriel pads across the linoleum to where his boyfriend stands at the stove, tending a pan of stir-fry. He sneaks up behind him, puts an arm around his waist, and leans into his shoulder.

Sam startles beautifully.

"Babe, that is a really bad idea when I'm standing here." he breathes, once he's recovered a little.

"Sorry." says Gabriel, and doesn't really mean it. He also doesn't move. Sam peers at him under his arm.

"You okay?"

"'M fine. Just in a good mood."

"Well, that's good."

"Mm-hmm." Gabriel un-velcros himself from his boyfriend and saunters away again, enjoying the bemusement that's practically radiating off of him. At least he can still keep people on their toes.

°°°


	5. November

The couch squeaks in protest as Sam and Gabriel tumble onto it, all tongues and teeth and roaming hands. Sam, always the eager one, arches upward as Gabriel moves to straddle his hips. His hands graze over Gabriel's back, then wander up to card through his hair. Gabriel's have litle more purpose to them: in between kisses, he fumbles with the buttons on Sam's flannel shirt. Now and then he pauses to work his hands underneath it, coasting them over Sam's ribs and chest and smirking at the sounds Sam makes in response.

Sam bucks his hips upward again as Gabriel plants a kiss on his jaw. His boyfriend huffs a laugh against his ear.

"Fuck, Gabe..." says Sam, a little breathless. He feels Gabriel smile.

"That's the idea."

As if to prove his point, Gabriel grinds into Sam with one long, slow movement. Sometimes these pregnancy hormones aren't so bad. Sam groans under him. His hands settle on Gabriel's hips, holding them still.

"You're evil." he pants.

"Yep." Gabriel pulls off his shirt and tosses it aside. He's six months along, his belly too big to be mistaken for excess weight anymore. It brushes against Sam's midsection when he leans in for a kiss. Sam tenses up; he pretends not to notice. Instead he plants his hands on Sam's shoulders and grinds into him again, hoping to get the same response as before. But Sam seems distracted. His hands are wandering aimlessly, up and down Gabriel's sides, down to where leg meets groin, and back again - but always stopping just short of touching his belly. Gabriel catches Sam's hand and guides it to rest just above his navel. Sam hesitates, but doesn't protest, so Gabriel presses on.

One kiss leads to another, and another and another. Gabe's hands work their way down to the waistband of Sam's pants, and he's just making some progress when it occurs to him that something's not right. Sam is laying very still beneath him. He sits up; Sam's hands are back on his hips, but just idly rubbing his thumbs back and forth over the jeans fabric.

Gabriel crosses his arms. "Sam, what's wrong?"

Sam's eyes flick up to Gabriel's face, but doesn't meet his gaze. "Nothing."

Gabriel stares him down until he makes eye contact. "Like hell."

Sam's expression changes from surprise to confusion to annoyance before shutting down completely. "Gabe, just because I changed my mind about-"

"I'm not talking about that, Sam, I'm talking about **this**." his hands move to his belly. "You were pretty enthused until the belly got in the way."

Sam shrugs awkwardly against the couch. "I...I didn't want to hurt you."

"Really. You've been avoiding me because you didn't want to hurt me. That's nice."

"What?" Sam props himself up on his elbows. "Gabe, what's the matter with you?"

"Me? What about  _you_? You're acting like I'm gonna blow up, and you won't even fucking talk to me about it."

Sam's expression changes again, to something between concern and just plain bewilderment. "What are you talking about?"

"What do you think I'm talking about, Sam? Whenever I try to talk about the baby, you suddenly have to be elsewhere. I mean jesus, I thought you wanted this!"

"I do." Sam sits up, trying to reassure him but not clear on exactly how to do so. "I really do."

"Then tell me what the hell is going on, before I go full soap-opera on you."

Sam is quiet for a moment. Maybe that soap-opera line wasn't a good idea. When he finally speaks, it's in a very small voice. "...I don't know."

"You don't know." Gabriel echoes. He purses his lips in annoyance. "Well, you better figure it out soon, 'cause this bundle of joy is gonna be here a lot sooner than you think." he sighs, and picks at a stray thread on Sam's shirt. "I gotta tell you, Sam, I'm surprised. It's not like you to get cold feet...if I didn't know better, I'd think you were just scared." their eyes meet. Sam doesn't say a word, but his expression speaks volumes. "...that's it, isn't it. You're running scared." 

"Well, can you blame me? I haven't exactly done this before!"

"Neither have I, but you don't see me running! And I'm the one having the goddamn kid!" they stare each other down for a moment. Then Gabriel throws up his hands. "No, you know what, I've had enough of this. I'm out." he swings his leg up and over, climbs off of Sam, and goes to retrieve his shirt. "You wanna run, fine." he pulls the shirt on and stretches it roughly over his belly.

"Wait, hang on- where are you going?" Sam stands up from the couch, pants and shirt still undone.

"Across the hall." Gabriel growls. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Gabe, I'm sorry."

"Sorry don't fix it, sweetheart."

The door slams.

°°°

"Cassie? It's me, open up."

Faint footsteps from behind the door; the lock rattles, and Gabriel comes face-to-face with a very disheveled Castiel.

"Gabriel?" his voice is rusty with sleep. "What's going on?"

"I'm taking you up on your offer. Sorry to wake you."

"No, that's alright. What happened?" he turns, and Gabriel follows him into the darkened apartment. There's a 'click'; a floor lamp blinks into life, casting a soft glow on the room.

"Um. Well...looks like Sam might be bailing on me."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, me too."

More footsteps. A boxer-clad Dean shuffles down the hall. "Babe? Whatsamatter?" he asks blearily.

"Hey Dean-o."

"Hey Gabe. Trouble in paradise, huh?"

"Your brother's being an idiot."

"Mm."

Cas produces a pillow and blanket from the hall closet and lays them on the couch. "Do you need anything?" he asks.

"This is perfect, Cassie, thanks. I owe you one." Gabriel unfolds the blanket, lays out the pillow, tries to get comfortable.

"Are the two of you still going to Ellen's tomorrow?" Cas leans on the wall and stifles a yawn.

"Hells yeah. I'm bringin' dessert." Gabriel hoists a grin.

"Good." mutters Dean. "When I see Sammy, I'm gonna tear him a new one."

"Dean..."

"He's my brother, I'm allowed. He doesn't get to treat anyone like that."

"You do like to play the knight in shining armor, huh, Dean-o?" Gabriel grins up at him from the couch. Dean shrugs.

"Goodnight, Gabriel." says Cas, before his husband can say anything more.

"'Night, Cassie. Dean. Thanks again."

Then the light clicks off and he's plunged into darkness. He lays there staring at the ceiling, feeling the baby kick. Not tired at all. But the apartment is quiet, and moonlight is slanting through the windows, and he doesn't even want to think about what just happened.

So he shuts his eyes and tunes it all out, and lets sleep find him.

oOo

It's an uneventful Thanksgiving, all things considered. The kids run amok through the house while the grownups mingle. Dean and Charlie banter endlessly. Chuck sits alone with his notebook and a glass of beer. And Sam and Gabriel keep a rather conspicuous distance from each other.

Dean does not, in fact, tear his brother a new one, but only at Gabriel's request. Instead, when the party has wound down and everyone is heading home, he lingers.

Gabriel comes out of the house, empty cake boxes in tow, to see the brothers saying their goodbyes. Dean pulls Sam into a hug...and holds it. Is he whispering something? Sam almost looks like he's been insulted; he pulls himself out of the hug.

"What??" he hisses.

"Drive safe, guys." Dean waves as though nothing happened. And before his brother can say anything more, he turns and ambles back to the house.

Sam and Gabriel climb into the car. "What was that about?" asks Gabriel, trying to buckle his seatbelt over his belly.

"What?" Sam glances over.

"It looked like Dean was whispering to you."

"Oh. No, that was...that was nothing." Sam puts the key in the ignition and the car rattles shakily to life. That's the end of that, it seems. Gabriel turns his gaze out the window, and doesn't speak again for some time.

°°° 


	6. December

"Alright, folks. Last batch."

Gabriel comes back from the oven with a pan of long, cherry-red candies. He sets the pan on a table, dons a pair of gloves, and grabs one of the candies. Castiel and another young man step forward and do the same, and the three of them begin to methodically fold and stretch and pull the candies. They add a stick of white candy and twist until the whole thing is striped like a barbershop pole. Then they bend one end into a hook, place the finished product in a box, and start all over again. Gabriel has to pull up a chair after a few minutes; at seven months, it's a little harder to get things done.

Christmas season is always the busiest time for Garden of Eden; only Halloween comes close. Today is the first day this week that Gabriel hasn't had a custom order to do. Cas has been getting a crash-course training, and the poor interns are run off their feet. Even Sam has been helping out. At least there's only a few weeks to go.

They're halfway through the batch of candy canes when the bell rings on the front desk. Gabriel looks up.

"Kai?" he calls over his shoulder. "We've got our hands full, could you check out front?"

"Sure." the intern hurries past, wiping his hands on his apron. He disappears into the main room. There are a few moments of muffled words, then he reappears. "Mr. Winchester?" he says shyly. "Your husband's here."

"Thank you, Kai." Cas nods, and the young man steps aside to reveal Dean, shaking rain off his leather jacket.

"Hey guys." he flashes a lopsided smile.

Cas and Gabriel say their distracted hellos. "Do you need something, Dean?" asks Cas.

"No, but you might." Dean reaches into his messenger bag and pulls out a lunchbag. Cas sighs.

"Oh, good lord. Did I really?"

"It was sitting on the counter when I got home." Dean sets the bag on the table and gives his husband a playful nudge. "You're welcome."

Cas snags a kiss with an only slightly sarcastic "Thank you, _dear_."

"Aww, what a good husband." teases Gabe. "Would you two mind not dripping syrup all over my kitchen?"

"Sorry." says Dean, reaching for a candy cane. Gabriel slaps his hand away.

"And shouldn't you be at work?"

"I'm on my lunch break." Dean pulls up a chair. "Mind if I stay and warm up for a bit?"

"Sure, I guess."

Dean pulls his jacket tightly around himself and sits to watch them work. It doesn't take them long to finish the batch, at which point Gabriel levers himself out of his chair, picks up the box, and puts it in the fridge.

"So Gabe." Dean speaks up again. "How you feelin'?"

Gabriel shrugs and gives his growing belly a pat. "Pretty okay, actually. Back pain's kicking in, but it's not too bad." he lowers himself back into his chair.

"And, uh...how's Sam?"

Just like that, the shoe drops. Gabriel purses his lips. Cas shoots a sidelong glance at them both.

"He's fine." Gabe says briskly.

"Gabriel." there's a slight warning note in Cas' voice. His brother stares into the middle distance.

"Well, what do you want me to say? Everything's fine, we're a happy little family?"

"Or you could be honest."

Gabriel heaves a sigh. "I don't even know what's going on, okay?" he continues to stare into the middle distance. "He said he's 'scared'-" he does air-quotes around the word "-but he won't say what he's scared of. Won't say anything else, either. Just changes the subject or flat-out leaves when I try to bring it up."

"Do you have any idea what could be causing this behavior?"

Gabe throws up his hands. "Fuck if I know. If it wasn't for the kiddo, I'd be seriously thinking about leaving, myself."

Silence falls on the kitchen. Gabriel glances up to see Dean and Cas trading a long, thoughtful look. He's immediately suspicious.

"What?"

"Me an' Cas have been talking." says Dean. "Where's Sam now, d'you know?"

"Uh...well, he had a job interview at noon. Why?"

"We have an idea."

oOo

Sam adjusts his tie as he walks out of the office building. Job interviews never seem to get easier, no matter how many he does. At least this one went well...he checks his watch; still a little while until he has to meet Gabe. That means time to find some coffee.

The coffee shop, it turns out, is a tiny place with a pretty sad little menu. But coffee is coffee, and he's been up since before 6:00 am, so he gets in line anyway. No sooner has he placed and paid for his order, however, than his phone goes off in a racket of beeps and chirps. He digs it out of his pocket.

"This is Sam."

"Sam, where are you now?" Cas sounds breathless and out-of-sorts. It immediately sets off all sorts of alarms in Sam's mind.

"Getting coffee, I just got out of an interview. Why? Where are you?"

"I'm at the shop. There's been an accident."

"What kind of accident?"

There are a few rustlings and a faint word or two. "Gabriel fell off a ladder in the storeroom."

Sam's heart jumps right into his throat. "Oh my god. Is - is he okay? Is the baby okay? What happened?"

"I don't know, but he's asking for you. How soon can you be here?"

"I'm on my way now." Sam makes a beeline for the doors, coffee completely forgotten. "Have you called an ambulance?"

"No. He says he won't go anywhere until you arrive."

Dammit, Gabe. "Well, I'm almost at the car. Just - tell him I'll be there soon."

"I will."

"Want me to stay on the line?"

"No. Just hurry."

Cas abruptly hangs up. Sam's too scared to be annoyed by that; he stuffs his phone in his pocket as he climbs into the car.

"Hang in there, Gabe."

oOo

"Hello?"

Sam nearly trips over his feet in his hurry. The handful of customers milling about the shop look around, startled. Sam makes his way through them.

"'Scuse me - sorry - 'scuse me - Castiel? It's Sam!"

Cas appears and brings him around behind the counter. Even as the taller one of the pair, Sam can barely keep up.

"How is he?" he asks as they cut through the kitchen.

"Stable, but in pain." Cas holds up an ice pack. "And refusing most help."

"Yeah, well, that's Gabriel for you."

They stride across the cave and through the half-open storeroom door. A ladder stands by one of the shelves, a few boxes scattered around it. And when they turn the corner, there's Gabriel, laid out awkwardly on the floor with Cas' trenchcoat spread over him. Sam runs to his side.

"Gabe. Gabe, I'm here."

Gabriel lifts his head and smiles. "Hey, you really do care."

"Wh- of course I do. Did you hit your head?"

"No, thank god." Cas hands him the ice pack; he takes it and puts it under his hip. "Everything else hurts, though."

Sam hovers his hands over Gabriel, unsure of what to do with them. "Where? Did you- any cramps? Is anything broken?"

"Yes to the first, no to the second."

"Okay, we need to get you to a doctor. I'll call an ambulance, you stay put-" Sam goes to stand up, but Cas puts a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll do it." he says, taking his phone out of his pocket. "You stay with him."

Sam quickly relents and sits back down. "Thanks, Cas." Cas nods, then turns and leaves the storeroom, closing the door behind him. Sam turns back to his boyfriend. "So how did this even happen?"

Gabriel shrugs one shoulder. "It's stupid. I was up there reaching for the flour, and thanks to baby moose here, I overbalanced. You know the rest."

"Jesus, babe." Sam lets out an unsteady breath.

"Yeah." Gabriel shifts a little, putting a steadying hand on his belly. "Speaking of baby moose, though...you know there's only twelve weeks left 'till she gets here? Got a lot of work to do before then."

Sam puts a hand on Gabriel's shoulder. "We can talk about that later. Try to relax."

"I think we should talk about it now." there's a sudden edge to Gabriel's words. Sam meets his gaze; his eyes are almost flinty. It's a look that means business. But before Sam can say anything, Gabriel charges ahead. "Like I said; we've got a lot of work to do."

Sam frowns. "I'm not sure I understand."

"Think, Sam. Think really hard. What could I possibly be mad about in relation to this?" he makes an exaggerated gesture to his belly.

"Gabe, you should really try to relax-"

"Answer the question, Samwise."

"I have no idea what you're getting at. You're not making any sense."

"You, Sam! Why are you such a goddamn mystery lately?" Gabriel sits up, pushing the trenchcoat off, to look Sam in the eye. "You say you're scared, fine, but you don't get to just blow me off again."

Sam's expression hardens. "There was no accident, was there. You set me up."

For a moment, Gabriel seems to lose some of his fire. "Yeah." he says to his knees.

"What the fuck - Gabriel, you really scared me. I thought you were injured."

"It worked, though, didn't it? We're actually talking for once."

"No. I'm done. I can't believe you'd pull something like this. You can get yourself home tonight." Sam gets to his feet and stalks away down the aisle.

"Alright," Gabriel calls after him, "look at it this way, Sam: in twelve weeks, I'm giving birth to your kid. And if we don't sort this out now, you're not gonna be there to meet her."

Sam hesitates, then stops. He turns. Then he walks back to Gabriel and slowly sits down. He throws up his hands, sort of a flippant 'I'm ready'.

Gabriel sighs. He looks more sad, now, than angry. "Look...we're both a little scared of this. I get it. But, y'know, communication; it's s'posed to be a big part of a relationship. And we're not doin' so great on that right now." he runs a hand through his hair. "...I just wanna fix this."

Sam weighs his words for a minute before speaking. "Gabe, I - I love you. A lot. I'm so excited to be having this baby with you."

"You got a funny way of showing it." Gabriel mutters.

"Well, so do you. You've just gone off on your own since this whole thing started. Like, all of a sudden it's all about the baby."

"Hate to break it to you, but that's kinda the whole point of being pregnant. It _is_ all about the baby."

"I know. But maybe it can be about us, too."

"...That's fair. But you're still not off the hook."

"Again with the- what are you expecting me to say??"

"Some answers would be nice. Like, for starters, why you've been so scarce. Or why you won't talk about the baby." Gabriel sighs. "I'm not the Spanish Inquisition, babe. I just wanna know what's going on."

Sam stops again to weigh his words. He runs his hands through his hair just to keep them busy, the whole time acutely aware of Gabriel's eyes on him.

"Today would be nice." there's a bit less anger in Gabriel's voice now. He sounds more like his usual teasing self.

"I'm thinking."

"You don't have to think. Just talk."

Sam sighs. "Okay...okay." he tentatively meets his boyfriend's gaze. "You grew up in a big family, right? You had your siblings and your parents and everything else. Well, I had Dean and my dad, and that's it. And Dean was more of a parent to me than dad was."

"So you've told me."

"The point is, I look at Dean with Matt and Ava and Grace, and he and Cas are so good with them. How the hell can we measure up to that? I don't know how to be a parent!"

"What, you think I do? No one knows how to be a parent. My folks sure as hell didn't, and they had six kids!"

"But-"

"Look. I've said it before; we're both nervous. That's probably a good thing, who knows. But we'll learn, right?"

Now Sam shrugs. "I hope so."

"You think you can tolerate being around me that long?" his voice is teasing but, Sam notices, he's studying his face very carefully.

Sam laughs, a little nervous. "I dunno, that might be difficult." he teases right back.

Gabriel looks at him for another moment. "Have you always been this insecure?" he asks, but not unkindly.

"Pretty much. I'm surprised you haven't noticed before." Sam runs a hand through his hair again. "But...what if-" he begins, then hesitates.

"Hm?"

"...What if it doesn't work out? I mean, what if we can't do this? Then what?"

Gabriel tilts his head, bird-like, so much like Castiel that Sam is a little taken aback. A smile spreads across his face. It's a soft smile, nothing like his usual. "Then we'll burn that bridge when we come to it." he pauses, perhaps for effect. "But I'm willing to give it a try if you are. What do you say?"

Sam smiles. And that's all the answer he needs.

°°°


	7. January

Well, Gabriel was right: they have a lot of work to do. He and Sam learn more about each other in the following six weeks than they have in six years of dating. Not to say everything's perfect, of course - it wasn't to begin with, and you can't do a 360° that fast anyway - but they're getting better. No bridge-burning necessary. As Gabriel's belly continues to grow, it leaves less and less room for doubts and fears and other things. They still whisper in the back of his mind, and Sam's, but quieter now. Easier to push away. There's less space to dwell on them, with all the preparations going on. They're seeing their midwife, Xander, every week now; making a birth plan, sorting and washing baby clothes, organizing this and that and every other thing. They've each taken about half of the tasks. Sam is in charge of the crib and stroller and other baby things; Gabriel is taking care of schedules and planning and such.

And fretting over the shop. Once the baby comes, he'll be MIA for a month or more. In nearly a decade as owner, he's never been away that long. He's been spending almost as much time there as he has at home, training Beau - his longest-standing employee, and the only person he really trusts with the shop - to run the place while he's gone. Sam gently teases, asking if he thinks it's going somewhere. He learns not to call him a mother hen, though; after a few punches on the arm, it stopped being funny for either side.

Today is the first day that either of them have had a real break from it all. At Cas' suggestion, they're holding an impromptu and very informal baby shower. Really they're just hanging out. It only counts as a baby shower because Dean and Cas are gifting them some of their old baby supplies - clothes and toys and such.

"Okay, this one's from me." Dean hands a brown-paper-wrapped package to Cas, who passes it to his brother. Gabriel is sitting on the couch, propped up on a pillow or three. It's hard to get comfortable these days. He takes the package from Cas and unwraps it. Inside, folded neatly, is a stack of onesies. He holds up the first one; it's mint green and reads 'LEVEL 01 HUMAN' on the front.

Cas sneaks a look at it. "I remember that one." he muses. "That's one of the first ones Dean got for Matteo."

"Sure is." Dean says fondly.

"You sure you wanna give it up?" asks Gabriel.

"We won't be needing it." says Cas. Gabriel smiles and moves on to the next ones. One has a power button printed on the front; another reads 'THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH THIS ONE'. Gabriel laughs.

"God, you guys are weird."

"Yep. And you're related to both of us." Dean smirks.

"Don't remind me." Gabriel drapes the LEVEL 01 HUMAN onesie across his belly and hands the rest to his boyfriend. "Hey Sam-I-am, check it out."

Sam has just barely gotten the onesies when they hear a trio of kid feet thundering down the hallway. Not two seconds later a soccer ball flies in out of nowhere, straight toward the coffee table, and takes out his glass of orange juice.

"Pretty sure that's out of bounds." Gabriel remarks. Dean picks up the now dripping-wet ball.

"Alright, who threw this?" he asks in his best stern dad-voice. There's a moment of guilty silence. Then Matteo shyly raises his hand. "And what's the rule about throwing stuff in the apartment?"

"...Don't."

"Exactly. Remember that next time, please." he nods toward the kitchen. "Now go get a couple towels. You're gonna clean this up, and apologize to your uncle."

"'K." Matt slouches away. Dean turns to Sam.

"Sorry 'bout that."

"No big deal." Sam shrugs.

"Yeah, but he knows better."

Matt returns from the kitchen and begins to grudgingly sop up the orange juice. "Sorry, uncle Sam." he mutters.

"That's okay, buddy. No harm done." his uncle soothes.

While their brother is otherwise occupied, the girls wander over to the couch. Gabriel looks up.

"Hey, chicks."

"Hi." Grace climbs into the empty space between her uncles; Ava perches on the arm of the couch, resting her feet on Sam's knees.

Grace looks around at the scattered gifts. "What are you doing?"

"Your dads gave us presents for the baby. It's called a baby shower."

"Oh."

"Hey, Ava-" Gabriel gestures to his niece. "That's quite a shiner you've got. What happened?"

Ava grins like she's about to tell the biggest secret of her life. "This kid at school was mean to Matt-"

"He called Matt  _stupid_." Grace interjects.

"-So I kicked him!" Ava beams proudly.

"Wow." 

"Sweetheart, that's not exactly something to be proud of." says Cas from his chair. "You shouldn't kick people, even if they were mean to your brother."

"Well...he pushed me over, too." Ava points out, as though it's a reasonable answer. "It's how I got this." she points to the greenish-yellow bruise blooming under her eye.

"We still don't kick people."

By now, Grace has lost interest in the conversation; she picks up the onesie Gabe had draped over his belly.

"Y'know, that used to be your brother's." says Gabriel.

"Really??"

"Mm-hm."

His niece looks from the onesie to him and back. "And now your baby is gonna wear it?"

"That's right."

Grace flops back against the cushions, then slithers down so she's wedged between her uncle and the couch. One finger traces the lettering on the onesie.

"When are you gonna have the baby?"

Gabriel sighs and cradles his belly. He's been wondering the same thing. "Someday, I hope."

The conversations trail off from there. Matt, having cleaned up the scene of the crime, runs off with Ava to play video games. Grace stays with Gabe for a while, cuddled up around his belly, quiet save for the occasional question. But then she too wanders off, leaving the grownups alone again.

Sam, Dean, Cas, and Gabriel talk idly for some time after that. Then the conversations trail off again. Eventually, they start to pack up; goodbyes are said, hugs are exchanged, and the couples go their separate ways.

-

"Hey, Moose?"

There's a knock on the bathroom door. Sam, towel-clad, looks up from the sink.

"What's up?"

"Beau just called. I gotta go down to the shop for a little bit."

"Alright."

Sam listens for a minute as his boyfriend rustles around in the bedroom. He shaves and gets dressed, and thinks.

"Everything okay at the shop?" he calls.

"Yeah." Gabriel calls back. "Something with the supply order, he just wants me to take a look at it."

"You know, Gabe," Sam muses, "you probably shouldn't be running back and forth from the shop so much now."

"I know, I know...but it's Beau's first day running solo, and-" he trails off suddenly. Sam waits a moment, listening.

"And?" he prompts, but there's no answer. Concern rises in Sam's chest; he peers around the doorframe. "Babe, you okay?" still no answer. Gabriel stands at the dresser, steadying himself with one hand and pressing the other to his belly. Sam crosses the room to his side. "Gabriel, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, 'm fine." says Gabriel, though it comes out a little shaky. He stands back from the dresser. A smile spreads across his face. "Actually, it's good." he looks at Sam, then down at his belly. Sam follows his gaze.

"Has it-"

"It's dropped." Gabriel's smile widens. His belly does suddenly seem lower, less round.

"Do we need to call Xander?"

"Nah, it doesn't hurt. Actually-" he straightens up and draws a deep breath. A look of relief joins the smile. "Y'know, I haven't been able to do that for two months."

Sam lays his hand flat on Gabriel's belly. Gabriel's hand joins it. "He's comin', Gabe." whispers Sam.

"She."

"Hm?"

"It's a girl."

"You sound awfully sure of yourself. You been talking to Xander behind my back?" Sam teases.

"No." Gabriel doesn't even seem to notice the jab. He gazes down at his belly, quietly thoughtful. "I just...I have a hunch."

"Might wanna see a doctor about that." Sam teases again.

"Oh my god, shut up." finally, Gabriel laughs and gives his boyfriend a playful shove. "You are the worst."

Sam laughs too, breaking whatever tension remained in the room. "And yet, you love me."

Gabriel watches as Sam retreats back into the bathroom.

"Yeah, I do."

°°°


	8. February

February at last. All the planning is done, all the preparations have been made. And now comes what may be the hardest part of pregnancy, besides labor: the waiting. Sam and Gabriel both have Xander's number on speed-dial; the homebirth kit sits packed and ready by the bedroom door. And they wait.

Valentine's Day comes and goes with nothing more exciting than a busy day at the shop. Gabriel spends that weekend in the throes of the nesting phase, denying it vigorously the whole time. By the end of it, the apartment has been so thoroughly cleaned that Sam is almost afraid to walk in it. And still they wait.

By late February, Gabriel is fed up. The novelty, he says, wore off around the same time his feet started to swell. He and Sam try everything to get labor started, from spicy food to a long walk to good old-fashioned sex. None of it seems to work. Gabe is still hugely, annoyingly pregnant. And still they wait.

-

The morning of the 24th dawns cold, gray, and drizzly. Gabriel wakes from a night of restless and uncomfortable sleep, feeling just as tired as when he went to bed. There'd been a scattering of contractions the night before; he lays there, waiting, for quite some time, hoping they'll start again...but of course, they don't.

Without disturbing Sam, he slides out of bed and shuffles out to the living room. It's just barely dawn; the light through the windows is still dim and watery, and the world outside is quiet. It's peaceful. He stands for a while and watches the city come to life. He's tired, but he doesn't feel much like sleeping. So instead he heads off to take a shower. Might as well.

He's halfway through his shower, rinsing the soap out of his hair, when it occurs to him that he's tense. The feeling condenses to a single, hard point over the top of his belly, and then it _squeezes_. He holds very still, breathing slow and even, until the feeling passes, then lets himself relax.

Well then.

He finishes his shower and towels off quickly. Then, dressed in pajama pants and one of Sam's hoodies, he returns to the living room to wait.

Ten minutes pass, then fifteen, then twenty. The feeling returns, right on cue. And then it hits him. This feels different than the scattered contractions he's been having - focused, decisive, and much stronger. It's the real deal.

He's in labor.

Somehow he manages not to go running in to wake up Sam. Instead he waits - still watching the clock - until another contraction builds, peaks, and fades. Just to be sure. In fact, he waits through several more. By the time the sun comes slanting up through the buildings, the contractions are closer by five minutes, and meaner, too.

The trip across the living room is already a little tough. It feels like his belly is going to tip him over. He pads into the bedroom. Sam is still out like a light, sprawled on his stomach as though someone dropped him there. Gabriel just watches for a moment, reluctant to wake him. But then he gets an idea. A devious smile curls across his face. He leans over his sleeping boyfriend, gently brushes his hair aside - and blows a raspberry right on the nape of his neck.

It works beautifully. Sam is awake in an instant, with a yelp that would make you think he'd been burned. Gabriel gives him the best innocent look he can manage.

"Morning, honey."

Sam flicks his bangs out of his face. "Jesus, Gabe..." he groans. "why do you - what time is it?"

"'Bout ten after six."

"Awesome." Sam drops back onto the pillow. "G'morning."

Gabriel listens as Sam's breathing slows to a more normal rate. Then he leans in again. "Hey Sam."

"Mmh."

"Guess what?"

"What." he waits. After a minute or so of silence, Sam looks up. "Gabe, what?"

Gabriel can't help but smile again. "We're havin' a baby today."

Sam's eyes widen. He lifts his head from the pillow. "Are y - you're sure?"

"I've been up for two hours already, Sam. I'm pretty sure."

Sam sits up the rest of the way. His expression is a mix of excitement and fear that Gabriel is already very familiar with. "Oh my god." he breathes. His hands hover over Gabriel's belly. "Have you called Xander?"

"Not yet. He's probably not even awake."

"Fair enough...how are the contractions?"

"Not too bad. Little over fifteen minutes."

Sam grins. "I guess we'd better get things moving, then."

-

"Knock, knock."

The apartment door opens just as Sam appears from the bedroom, sliding a little on the hardwood floor. A young man comes in, quickly shutting the door behind him.

"Hi Sam." his voice is deeper than you'd expect for someone who's almost shorter than Gabriel.

"Hey Xander." Sam regains his footing and falls into step. "Thanks for coming over so early." it's just past noon; they've been managing okay on their own, but in the past hour or so, Gabriel has started to lose some of his calm.

"Not a problem."

They make their way into the bedroom. The blinds are open, letting in what little sunlight February can provide. Gabriel kneels in the middle of the floor with his head and arms resting on an exercise ball. His eyes are closed; he seems very inwardly focused. Xander kneels at his side.

"Anybody in there?"

"Who wants to know?" Gabriel opens his eyes just slightly. At least he's still got his sense of humor. Xander smiles.

"How you holding up? I hear you're having a tough time of it."

Gabriel hesitates. His humor may be intact, but his usual quick response is notably absent. At length he seems to give up on it altogether. He sighs. "Yeah, kinda."

 "Alright, let's see what we can do about that." suddenly Xander is all professionalism. "I'd like to do a quick exam to see how you're progressing, then we can get to work, okay?"

"'K." Gabe agrees, but doesn't try to get up. Only when Sam puts a hand under his arm does he start moving. He picks himself up and walks slowly toward the bed, leaning on Sam as though it's the only thing keeping him upright. His belly has changed: no longer a smooth teardrop shape, now it sits low and heavy on his midsection. As he lowers himself onto the bed, he suddenly freezes.

"Shit, hang on a sec-" his voice is strained.

"Contraction?"

Gabriel nods, short and sharp. He bows forward; his hands clasp around his knees. He lets out a moan. "Son of a bitch..."

While Sam keeps his boyfriend grounded, Xander watches the clock. "Almost thirty seconds." he says when Gabe relaxes. "You're making good progress."

The next few minutes are something of a blur. Xander does his exam, they wait for the next contraction and talk about options, then Xander goes off to run a bath for Gabe. In the downtime that follows, Gabriel lies back against Sam. Sam wraps an arm around him.

"Still doing okay?" he murmurs.

"I guess. I mean, considering I'm about to push out a kid..." Gabriel sighs. The smartassery seems like an afterthought at this point.

Sam smirks and presses a kiss to his boyfriend's hair. "You can do it."

Gabe doesn't say anything to this, just hums quiet acknowledgement.

Xander comes back much too soon. Getting to the bathroom and into the tub is a hassle - but well worth it. Gabriel's calm returns as soon as he gets in. The next contraction that comes has less of a bite; he even relaxes enough to doze off. Xander slips away then, under pretense of checking his email, while Sam keeps watch.

Without letting go of his boyfriend's hand, Sam picks up his phone.

<Hey.> he texts Dean.

< **Hey** > Dean texts back.

 

<Guess what>

 

< **?** >

< **(If u say chicken butt, i swear ill delete ur number)** >

 

<Gabriel's in labor.>

 

< **!!!!!** >

< **How long??** >

 

<Since this morning. Xander just got here; says Gabe will probably deliver sometime tonight>

 

< **How's he doing?** >

 

<Hurting, but okay.>

 

< **Well, yeah...** >

< **Dude** >

< **Sammy** >

< **Ur gonna be PARENTS** >

< **Holy shit, dude** >

 

Sam has to stop and put his phone down then, because damn. It hadn't quite hit him until now. He's going to be a dad. This is his baby, his and Gabe's, that's coming into the world. A lump rises in his throat. Then his phone buzzes, obnoxiously loud on the tile floor. He retrieves it.

 

< **How r u feeling?** >

 

Sam sighs. <Well I haven't freaked out yet.>

 

< **You'll be fine.** >

< **U can do it, little brother. Gabe is in such good hands** >

 

Sam smiles at this, but doesn't answer. A few minutes pass before his phone buzzes again.

 

< **I'm proud of u, Sammy** >

< **For doing this** >

< **And for actually growing a pair and staying with him** >

< **U guys are gonna be awesome dads** >

 

<Thanks, Dean.>

 

< **Let me know when it happens, okay?** >

< **Cas and the kids send hugs** >

 

<Will do.>

 

Gabriel's breathing quickens, signalling the start of a contraction. His face creases with discomfort.

"Hey." Sam murmurs. "You're okay, Gabe. I'm here. Just breathe through it."

"I know how to do this, Samsquatch." breathes Gabriel. There's some heat in his words, but he doesn't let go of Sam's hand either. His free hand rubs circles into his belly. "Pressure's getting worse..." he lolls his head to the side to look at Sam with a nervous half-smile. "Gonna get a lot worse before it gets better, though, huh."

Sam quirks a half-smile of his own in response, gives Gabe's hand a squeeze, and says nothing.

-

Gabriel ends up spending most of his labor in the bath. He gets out now and then when he needs to move, but never strays very far. The pain is intense. It wears him down quickly, and the warm water seems to be the only thing that helps. They find a good rhythm: Gabriel stays in the bath for a while till he gets too restless, then Xander or Sam reheat the water while he walks around. Lather, rinse, repeat. If they can keep this up until he's ready to push, thinks Sam, they should be okay.

Well, of course, it doesn't quite work out that way. Sometime around hour ten, in the middle of a lap through the apartment, Gabriel's concentration suddenly falls apart.

"Oh m-" he doesn't even get the whole phrase out before his legs crumple under him. Xander catches him with a hand under his arm and lowers him to the floor.

"Gabriel?" he tries to get his attention.

"Contraction," Gabe gasps. "holy _shit._ "

Xander glances at the clock. That's a whole two minutes early. He calls for Sam, then turns back to his patient. "Gabe. You're hyperventilating, slow it down."

"I can't, I can't - oh my god-" Gabriel sinks down onto all fours as Sam sprints into the room. His water broke barely twenty minutes ago, and the contractions are already harder, not to mention closer together. Even with Xander's instruction and Sam's reassurances, it's only after the contraction ends that his breathing evens out. The panic takes a little longer to subside.

Once Gabriel's back in the tub, Xander perches on the edge and puts a hand on his knee. "Gabriel, look at me." he says. Gabe opens his eyes. "If this is too much for you, I can always call an ambulance. There's no shame in changing your mind." he pauses to let the words sink in. "But either way, I need you to tell me now."

Gabriel looks from Xander to Sam and back. He takes a deep breath. "...No." he says slowly. "I wanna do it here."

"You're sure?"

Gabriel nods. Xander nods back and stands up.

"Alright. Let's do this."

-

The next few hours pass slowly. The need to move becomes greater than whatever relief the bath can give, so Gabe abandons it entirely. He spends the transition period kneeling on the bedroom floor with Sam. And he doesn't make much noise anymore; he's too tired. Instead of vocalizing his way through every contraction, now he just lets out the occasional whine or low groan. He's completely internal.

And then there's Sam. Up to this point he's been tentative, giving comfort but keeping his distance. Now he's totally tuned in to Gabriel. They're occupying almost the same space; Sam keeps a point of contact with him at all times, and Gabriel leans into him as though that alone can keep him going. They're both so tired.

"Hey. Gabriel."

Xander puts a hand on his patient's arm. It's half-past ten; sixteen hours since the first contractions. Gabriel's half-kneeling on the bedroom floor, with his arms propped on a borrowed dining room chair. His hair is straggly and damp with sweat; he barely reacts to the words. In fact, he doesn't seem to know that Xander's there. Xander tries again once or twice, then looks at Sam. Something passes between them; Sam turns to Gabriel.

"Babe. Come back to us." Sam gently shakes his arm. It takes a moment, but Gabriel rouses. He looks up at his boyfriend with cloudy eyes.

"Mm?"

"You're ten centimeters." says Xander. "Ready to get this baby out?"

"God yes." Gabriel sighs. Xander and Sam laugh lightly.

"Alright, go ahead and push when you're ready. Sam, you help keep him open."

As soon as the contraction picks up speed, Gabriel heaves a deep breath and pushes with everything he's got. He presses his forehead to the chair, clutching the edges in a white-knuckle grip. Sam runs a hand back and forth over the top of his thigh, offering whatever encouragement he can.

"Hold onto it as long as you can." says Xander. "Try to push until the contraction's over."

He does as he's told, then lets out a long, whooshing breath. "'M already tired of this." he pants.

"This is the last step. Just keep going a little longer."

"Oh, he's just complaining." Sam chimes in. Xander looks briefly offended, but then Gabriel huffs out a weak laugh. Even in his current state, he manages a very smooth middle-finger.

"Fuck you, Winchester." he smirks, a little breathless. Then another contraction starts, dragging his attention back. He takes a breath and pushes again, riding it to the end before relaxing somewhat. No one says a word. Xander fills the silence by spreading some towels between Gabriel's feet.

They spend a few more contractions this way. Then, in mid-push, Gabriel lets out a pained whine. "Oh fuck. Fuck, it _burns_ , I - Sam-" he starts to tip backward. Sam stops him with a hand on his back.

"You're crowning, it's okay. Just focus and push through it." Xander reassures him. Gabriel just makes it through the contraction, hissing through clenched teeth as Xander works between his legs to help keep him open.

"Head's out." says Xander. "Go ahead and rest for a minute."

By now, Gabe's legs are shaking, from both fatigue and exertion. He takes a few deep breaths. Then he opens his eyes and zeroes in on his boyfriend. "Sam, c'mere."

Sam moves further into Gabe's line of sight. "I'm right here. What do you need?"

"I w-" he has to stop for breath. "I want you to catch her."

For a moment, Sam is speechless. "I...really? Are you sure?"

"'Course I'm sure." the next contraction is taking over; he gives a short, sharp nod downward. Sam and Xander switch places, and Sam gingerly cups one broad hand around the baby's head. Seconds pass like years. With Xander's instruction, he slips his hands under the baby's arms as they emerge.

And then it happens. A pained groan from Gabriel, a rush of movement, and there it is. Even as he lifts the baby up between them, Sam's already beaming.

"Oh, Gabe. Oh my god." he breathes. "It's a girl."

Gabriel lets out a long sigh of relief and lowers himself to the floor. Xander moves in with a towel, which he rubs almost roughly over the baby's tiny body until she startles to life and yowls.

"I know, I know, mean ol' Xander." Xander chuckles. "You got a good pair of lungs, kiddo."

Neither Sam or Gabe seem to register the words. Gabriel reaches out for the baby and cuddles her close when Sam hands her over, and the world closes in around them.

-

A phone lights up in the darkened living room. Dean and Cas are stretched out half-dozing on the couch; somehow Dean has ended up as the little spoon again. He reaches for the phone before he's even fully awake.

Dean squints at it. His eyes widen; a grins spreads across his face. He reaches back and shakes his husband awake to hand the phone over.

On the screen, in bold letters, is the name **Sammy**. And underneath it is a single sentence:

IT'S A GIRL

 

°°° 


	9. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two days later...

The sound of the doorbell wakes Sam from his doze. He extracts himself from the couch and trots off to answer it.

Dean and Castiel file into the apartment once the door is opened. Then, the moment it's closed, before he's even said a word, Dean reaches out and pulls his brother into a hug.

"You did it, Sammy." he whispers. "I'm so happy for you guys."

Sam smiles, glad that Dean can't see his face; he's a little misty-eyed. "Thanks, Dean."

Cas steps in. In that politely awkward way of his, he reaches out and shakes Sam's hand while Sam is still engulfed in the hug. It's a formal gesture, but the smile on his face is as warm and genuine as anything he could have said.

"Congratulations, Sam."

Sam returns the smile as Dean releases him. He looks at his brother and his brother-in-law, then jerks his head back toward the bedroom. "Wanna come see him?"

-

"Gabe?"

A knock at the bedroom door; Gabriel looks up. Sam is standing in the doorway.

"They're here."

Dean and Cas peer around Sam. "Can we come in?" asks Dean.

"As long as you don't mind me looking gross." Gabriel scoots a little higher on the bed, wincing with the effort. There's still some tired gray under his eyes, and an ace bandage encircles his chest, holding a gauze pad in place. He nods. "C'mon in."

Cas isn't big on hugs, so Gabriel gets the same handshake as Sam did. It's followed by a clap on the shoulder from Dean, who then retreats to stand by the bedside table. Cas perches on the end of the bed, and Sam climbs up next to Gabriel.

Dean is the first to speak. "So," he says to both Sam and Gabe, "how's it feel to be a dad?"

"Exhausting." says Gabe. "But pretty awesome. 'Specially after being in labor for sixteen fucking hours."

"Hey, you got him beat by a whole hour." Dean gestures to his husband, who quirks an eyebrow.

"I didn't realize it was a competition." Cas says coolly.

"God, I hope not." says Gabe. "I'm worn out as it is. What is it, six weeks to recover?" his brother nods. He sighs. "Jesus...hats off to you, Cassie. I can't believe you put yourself through this twice." this earns him a half-smile.

"Babies require a lot of work." Cas shrugs.

"Speaking of," says Dean, "where is the little one?"

Sam and Gabe exchange a glance. Gabe starts to climb out of bed, but Sam stops him with a hand as he does the same. It doesn't take much convincing; he melts back into the pillows as Sam pads away across the room. The three of them wait in silence a moment, and then Sam returns.

In his arms is a pink striped blanket topped with a little gray knit hat. Without taking his eyes off the bundle, he gingerly sits down on the bed. Once he's situated, he looks up. "Here she is." he says softly. He pulls back the blanket just a bit, uncovering a little flushed-red face. Cas smiles; Dean breaks into a grin that just might split his face in two.

He walks around to Sam's side and holds out his arms. "Can I?"

Sam hands her over. Dean tucks her up into his arms like a pro, gazing down at her, and hia face softens. You can just see his heart melting. "Hey there sunshine." he murmurs. "I'm Dean." the baby wiggles, in a lazy sort of way. The hat slips off; underneath it, her head is still a bit elongated from the hard work of being born, and her hair - honey-brown, just like Gabriel's - sticks up in wispy tufts. Dean puts the hat back on. "She's got the Winchester nose already." he comments, gently touching it with a fingertip.

"Yeah, poor kiddo." says Gabriel.

Dean looks up at Sam and Gabriel. "She's so beautiful." he says sincerely. "You did good, guys." they both smile in response, every bit the proud new parents. Dean bows his head and returns his attention to the baby, whispering little endearments and nonsense words as she squints up at him.

Cas leans over, resting his chin on Dean's shoulder, and strokes one long finger across his niece's cheek. "Have you chosen a name for her yet?"

A moment's thoughtful pause. Gabriel clears his throat. "Yeah, actually...we were thinking Mary."

Dean's head snaps up. His eyes move from Sam to Gabriel and back. "You guys...oh my god." he smiles again, but smaller this time. Disbelieving. "Sammy..."

"Mary Anna Winchester. You think mom would be okay with that?" asks Sam quietly.

"Absolutely, she would have. She'd be honored." he looks to Gabriel. "Anna...for your sister?"

"Yeah."

"Those are both excellent names." Cas' voice is small. He and his brother make eye contact for just a moment; something in sibling-language passes between them, and Gabriel smiles a smile that's very different from his usual. Then baby Mary chimes in with that high, thready newborn cry that puts all your instincts on edge.

"Uh-oh." Dean bounces her a little. "Realized I'm not dad, huh?" she starts to make little searching movements toward his chest, and he chuckles and holds her out toward Gabriel. "I don't have anything for you there, sunshine, you better talk to him." Gabriel takes her from Dean, lays her in his lap, and starts to undo his bandage.

"I think that's our cue to get outta here." Dean stands up from the bed, and Cas follows suit. They both say their congratulations and turn to leave. But then Dean hesitates. He looks back. Sam has scooted up close to Gabriel and is watching his daughter intently as she eats. Sensing Dean's eyes on him, he looks up; Dean beckons.

Sam catches up with them in the living room. "What's up?"

"Matteo and the girls have been asking to meet the new baby." says Cas, just loud enough to carry into the bedroom. "I was thinking they could come over this evening..." then he drops his voice. "Are you and Gabriel still...?" he trails off.

Sam hesitates for a moment. He glances back toward the bedroom as though making sure Gabriel isn't watching. "Yeah, we're...we're doing okay."

"'Okay' can mean a lot of things, Sammy." says Dean.

Sam fixes him with a pointed look. "I mean, we've still got work to do. But...I think having Mary will help. Has helped." Gabriel's voice drifts in from the bedroom, saying something to the baby. He glances back toward it, then back to Dean and Cas. "I think we're in it for the long run."

That seems to be all he's willing to say on the matter. So Dean quirks a smile and pulls him into a hug. "Good to hear." he says when they separate. Sam's gonna be okay. They both are.

-

Later that day, Dean is rummaging through a desk drawer in search of some paper or other, something they should have filed away properly, when he comes across an envelope. There's no writing on it, no address or name, and it's only half sealed. He opens it; a handful of photos fall out. He picks up one, turns it over.

It's a picture of him and Castiel. They're in the park, the place where it all started. Cas is sitting on a bench; Dean stands bent-over next to him, holding the camera outstretched. They're both smiling, in a tentative sort of way.

Dean grins. He remembers that day. Cas is sporting a baby bump; it couldn't have been more than a few months after they'd first met. He'd taken the picture to show Sam. Proof that Cas existed.

Was that really nine years ago?

He picks up another photo. It's Matteo, just a few days old, snoozing in his laundry hamper crib. That was when they still thought Cas would be leaving...look how that turned out.

The next photo is one of Cas': a shot of the twins when they were very small. They're lying in their crib, awake but quiet, afternoon sun slanting across them. Cas always did have a good eye for photography.

The last one he hasn't seen before: a man asleep on the couch in their old apartment, drenched in late-summer sunlight. Dean peers at it - wait, that's him! He turns it over. The date is printed on the back and underneath it, in his husband's spidery handwriting, is a single word.

 _Dean_.

He turns it over again. That's Cas for you. His gaze lands on the other photos, spread out on the desk, and he sighs. How did this even happen? One day he's a programmer, the next he's married with three kids. And now a niece, too.

He might not have meant to end up here, but he's sure glad he did.

∆∆∆

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it - for real this time. The end of the series. It's been almost two years now, how did that happen?  
> A thousand thank you's to everyone who read and enjoyed, even if you didn't leave a comment or kudos; I appreciate you taking the time to give it a glance. It really means a lot to me.  
> Love to all of you, and thanks again! ❤

**Author's Note:**

> If you like the story, please leave a comment - I'd love to hear from you!


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